The Queensland Coordinator Generals Report on the proposed Traveston Crossing Dam has been finalized and sent to Peter Garrett.. Here is a link to copies of the reportdocuments and here is a joint statement from SaveTheMaryRiver and the Greater Mary Association in response to the report. Here is a link to the Federal Government's description of the current process. Current indications from the federal government are that the finalized federal decision will be announced on or before the 18th of November.

The assessment process under federal law is now well under way. This is where the real test of the proposal comes (there has never been any doubt as to the State government's political intention behind building this project). The major flaw in the Coordinator General's report, however, is the ludicrous statement that this worse-than-useless damsite is essential for providing water security to South East Qld. Unfortunately, building an extraordinarily expensive dam that holds very little water and fails quicker in a drought than our existing dams is not illegal under the EPBC act, it is just a symptom of bad governance.

There is a special section on the online forum discussing aspects of the report and the supporting documents. If you want to contribute to the public analysis of this report, then please register on the forum and share your ideas. Now that the public has the opportunity to read the information which was sent to the federal government, many flaws and serious omissions are becoming clear. It is clear that Peter Garrett needs to put this information under some independent scrutiny and allow public review and comment on this important federal decision.Until a formal procedure is set up by the federal government, SaveTheMaryRiver will publish formal submissions and letters that people have sent to minister Garrett's department on matters that relate directly to the federal assessment decision. These technical submissions are published in a special section of the travestonswamp.info online forum.

In particular, it would be inexcusable in the public eye for Kevin Rudd, Peter Garrett, and Penny Wong to approve and support the project without being informed by the evidence against the Queensland Government to be revealed in the current federal court case into the Paradise Dam.The Queensland Government has been unable to demonstrate compliance with the half a dozen federal conditions placed on their last major dam project, and it stretches the imagination that they would have any chance of complying with the 1200 conditions proposed for this far more damaging and economically unviable dam project.

Here is a link to a recent 7.30 report on some of the problems that the State faces in complying with approval conditions for just one threatened species. 7.30 REPORT

A public meeting was held at 3 o'clock on Sunday afternoon (13 Sept) at the SaveTheMaryRiver Information Centre at the Kandanga Railway Station in response to the media statement released by the Premier, Anna Bligh, entitled "State grants green light to Traveston"

What had actually occurred WAS NOT a state or federal approval of the proposed Traveston Crossing Dam, (The headline on the Premier's press release was a LIE) but the decision of the Coordinator General to send a draft of proposed approval conditions for the project to the federal government for consideration and feedback, PRIOR to the Coordinator General producing his assessment report on the proposal. (UPDATE: This information has been confirmed in Parliament by Infrastructure Minister Stirling Hinchliffe and publicly confirmed by the Coordinator General ) However, It was undoubtedly a another statement of political will from the premier that was designed to strike an emotional blow against the communities and families of the Mary Valley. It also helped create a media focus for the second anniversery of her appointment, which coincided with Brisbane's "Riverfest" distractions from reality.

(Photo:Outraged at stubborn stupidity, Stoppress.com.au) Many of the statements in the media attention that followed are simply not supported by the scientific evidence produced during the Environmental Impact Assessment. Most significantly, the information produced for the EIS clearly showed that the proposed dam is not a good performer in drought conditions. Because of it's small volume, poor location, shallowness and associated high evaporation and seepage losses, it would empty very quickly in a drought - providing about 18 months of drought storage at best.. Like a shallow saucer left out in the backyard it would fill very easily when it rains, but provide no useful water storage at all when things get dry.

The premier should also be reminded that "green" is not a good colour for a dam . The poor water quality and heavy weed infestations anticipated in this storage is one of the most destructive impacts that could be imagined for the threatened species of the Mary River, which the proposed approval conditions are intended to protect. The Federal governments scientific summaries about some of these threatened species (in the "Biodiversity threats" heading under "Government Links" on this website) clearly list dams and modified stream flows as the major threats to these species. (Update: Senate Rebukes Bligh on "Green Dam" claim)

No public consultation has been entered into on these proposed mitigation measures throughout the state EIS process to date, and SaveTheMaryRiver insists that the full extent of these proposals are made available for public comment as part of the Federal approval process when it gets into the hands of the federal Environment Minister, Peter Garrett. (Update: A Senate motion calling on Peter Garrett to publish the information his department received from the Queensland government was carried on Wednesday 16/09. Senate debate focussed on concerns that the Qld Premier may have compromised the environmental assessment process by lobbying the Prime Minister on behalf of the proponent, and the lack of public consultation on any of the proposed approval conditions.)

If you know families and people directly adversely affected last Sunday's media shock tactic, look out for them and offer your support as a friend. So far, it's just a media statement from a couple of spinners - and we've all been toughened by three years of dealing with that sort of tactic. The media statement does give some information on a likely timeline for the proper legal assessment process and leaves no doubt as to the political stubbornness of the Premier regarding this project.

For the last couple of years, survey and poll results have shown consistent public opposition to the former premier's rush-of-blood 2006 election wet dream - the proposed "PeterBeatersen" Dam at Traveston Crossing on the Mary River. Not surprisingly, public opposition has always been fierce in the Mary Valley itself and downstream of the project, (ie: from anyone who knew anything about the river and the proposed damsite). The latest survey results simply add to the long list of statistics showing that most people can see through the millions of dollars of glossy greenspin and know that it is just a really bad financial investment that would irreversibly damage an entire river system for little return to society. SEQ has plenty of forward-thinking, more reliable and financially responsible options for ensuring water security, but no way of creating another river to replace the unique characteristics of the Mary. read on..

The state environment minister, Ms Kate Jones today announced that the controversial Rainow Shores development at Inskip Point would not go ahead because of environmental concerns. Given the small range of issues listed in her ministerial statement, compared to the much greater range and scale of environmental issues permanently damaged by the State Government's even more controversial proposal to dam the Mary River at Traveston Crossing, this gives great hope that the inevitable cancellation of the Traveston Crossing Dam project will now be announced sooner rather than later. If the State Government feels that the 200ha Rainbow Shores development is unacceptable on environmental grounds, they should immediately stop wasting any more taxpayers money on prolonging the painful three and half year long attempt to gain federal environmental approval for the 15000ha Traveston proposal.

An extensive political survey conducted across the Federal electorate of Wide Bay found that 88% of the 5000 respondants were opposed to the proposed Traveston Crossing Dam on the Mary River. The survey covered a wide range of issues, particularly the forced amalgamations of local governments throughout the Wide Bay and Sunshine Coast areas. In other findings 77% of voters were unhappy with the state government and 83% opposed the water grid. Read more in the Sunshine Coast Daily.